Mulch Fire Safety

Mulch is combustible and can catch fire easily when smoking materials are discarded in it. Hundreds of fires start this way each year involving mulch. Learn to prevent mulch fires!

Homeowners may want to follow these safe practices.

Tips for Landscapers, Property Managers, and Homeowners, Building Owners:

• Provide a minimum of an 18-inch clearance between landscape mulch beds and combustible building materials, such as wood, vinyl siding and decks.

• Use non-combustible mulch such as rock or pea stone around gas meters and combustible portions of the structure.

• Provide proper receptacles for smoking materials at all entrances to public buildings and in designated smoking areas.  Place them at least 18" away from the building, do not mulch in these areas and remember to regularly empty smoking receptacles.

• Grounds and maintenance personnel should be aware when conditions are favorable for mulch fires and increase surveillance of mulch beds.

• Keep mulch beds moist when possible.

Report Mulch Fires

If you see anything smoking in a landscape bed, put it out if you can and report it. If the burning material is not thoroughly wet or removed it can re-ignite. 

How Mulch Fires Start.

Care must be taken to prevent mulch fires.

In many mulch fires, the smoldering mulch tunnels under the surface and then breaks out into open flame.

Mulch that is piled too deeply, more than a few inches, can build up heat and spontaneously catch fire.

Mulch fires start more readily when the weather is hot and it has been dry for an extended time.

Factors such as below-average rainfall, dry conditions, warm temperatures, and high winds increase the risk of mulch fires.